Sadhus of India (Revised and Enlarged Edition)

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Item Code: IDJ026
Author: Dr. B. D. Tripathi
Publisher: Pilgrims Publishing, Varanasi
Language: English
Edition: 2007
ISBN: 8177696319
Pages: 341 (14 Black & White, 30 Colour Illustrations)
Cover: Hardcover
Other Details 8.8" X 5.8"
Weight 640 gm
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Fully insured
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Shipped to 153 countries
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Book Description

Preface to the New and Enlarged Edition

The first edition of Sadhus of India - The Sociological View came to light in 1978. Roughly after 25 years, this book is reincarnating in a thoroughly revised form. In these 25 years, many things have happened. Almost all the senior members of my family have left for the other-world. My wife Dr. Madhu Kanta Tripathi too left me and migrated to her heavenly abode. So, virtually I am left alone, feeling 'lonely' in the 'crowd'. But it is this loneliness which prods me to work, to write, to publish. The present edition of the book is the outcome of this lonely prodding.

The following are the new features of present edition of Sadhus of India: (A) Old text has been thoroughly checked and updates, (B) Four new chapters have been added. They are: (1) Sadhus at Kumbh (2) Sadhus, Sharing Social Concern (3) Litigation among Sadhus and (4) Contemporary trends in Aceticism. (C) The book has been amply illustrated. I have incorporated several photographs from Rajesh Bedi/Ramesh Bedi's book Sadhus – The Holy Men of India. I feel indebted to the authors of this book. Also, I feel indebted to the editor of India Today, for some photographs from the January 22, 2001 issue of the Weekly.

Further, the author is highly grateful to Radha Soamis for their discourteous responses and frowning countenances which welcomed him whenever he tried to contact them to avail sectarian facts for this book.

On this occasion, the author fondly remembers the following members of his family: Krishna Kant Tripathi, Sheela Tripathi, Shashwat and Astha: Ravi Kant Tripathi, Namrata Tripathi, Aparajita and Shabdita; Nitin Pandey, Poonam Pandey and Parth; Chetan Pandey, Poonam Pandey and Vaishnavi.

The author gratefully acknowledges the help received from the following: Vedanti Swami, Karpatri Dham, Kedar Ghat, Varanasi; Arijeet Das, ISKCON, Varanasi; Shri Vinod Shanker Pandey, Nagawa, Varanasi; Swami Prem Moksh, Assi, Varanasi; Dr. Akhilanand Shastri, Secretary, Kashi Vidwat Parishad; Shri Chandra Bhushan Dhar Dwivedi, Trustee, Sumeru Peeth, Varanasi; Dr. Hari Narain Tiwari, Chandan Nagar, Varanasi; Shri Lalit Mohan Pandey, Dehradun; Shrimati Madhu Pandey, Dehradun; Anand Swarup Brahmachari, Shrividyamath, Kedar Ghat, Varanasi; Swami Kapileshwaranand Saraswati, Dharm Sangh, Varanasi; Swami Chinmays Nand Sasraswati, Sumeru Peeth, Varanasi; Swami Narendranand Saraswati, Sumeru Peeth, Varanasi; Kanu Bhagat, Swami Narain Mandir, Machhodari, Varanasi; Dr. Shyam Dhar Singh, Professor, Sociology, Kashi Vidyapith, Varanasi; Dr. Sushma Khanna, Professor Sociology, Kashi Vidyapith, varanasi; Mahatma Harihar Darshnanand, Kalimohal, Varanasi; Vinay Kumar Srivastava, Dainik Jagran, Varanasi; Babu Bachhan Singh, Karaundi, Varanasi; Bhagwan Singh Bisht, Hanuman Setu, Lucknow; Dr. Shyam Lal Kapoor, Guest Professor, Dept. of Botany Lucknow University, Lucknow; Shri Shashidhar Malviya, Hanuman Setu, Lucknow; Shri Rajesh Kumar Sinha, Karaundi, Varanasi, Shri Alok Verma, Central Library, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi; Dr. Triveni Dutt Tripathi, Mathlar, Deoria; Dr. Surendra Kumar Srivastava, Dept. of Philosophy, Kashi Vidyapeeth, Varanasi; Dr. Kaushalendra Pandey, Sanskrit Mahavidyalaya, B.H.U., Varanasi; Shivani Ganesh, Senior Assistant Editor, Popular Prakashan, Bombay; Swami Rudranand Awadhoot, Anand Marg Math, Chitaipur, Varanasi; Prof. B.N.Saraswati, Varanasi; Dr. Devendra Kumar Singh, Shri Sarveshwari Samooh, Varanasi.


About the Book:

Asceticism enjoyed great respect in Hindu Society in the past. With the advancement of physical sciences, however, the attitude of the people towards asceticism changed and people started doubling the relevance of this institution. Besides, several pernicious practices crept in the ascetic life in course of time which tarnished the image of Hindu Society general and Sadhus' Community in particular.

But even today there are people who value spiritual aspects of asceticism and claim that Indian Sadhus still play a positive role in society. This volume is a study of Sadhus of Uttar Pradesh, with specific aim of evaluating their role and status in the modern Indian Society.

To ensure the authenticity of the investigation, the author adopted the technique of Participant Observation by getting himself initiated in the Shaiva as well as Vaishnava Sampradaya. 500 Sadhus of different sects and maths from ten pilgrim-centres in Uttar Pradesh were interviewed. After giving a brief description of almost all the existing Vaishnava, Shaiva and miscellaneous sects, the author gives an account of the socioeconomic background of Sadhus, their economic and sociopolitical status, their views and belies and attitudes. He also narrates the sociopolitical status, their views and beliefs and attitudes. He also narrates the sociopolitical status, their views and beliefs and attitudes. He also narrates the social services rendered by Sadhus and their different organizations. Against this background, he discusses the problems connected with the future of Sadhus.

In the present revised and enlarged edition, the author has added four chapters namely, Sadhus at Kumbh, Sadhus sharing Social Concern, Litigation among Sadhus and Contemporary Trends in Asceticism.

About the Author

Dr. B. D. Tripathi (1933) was Professor of Sociology in Kashi Vidyapith, Varanasi. He retired from the teaching profession in 1993. He was awarded the degree of Ph. D in Sociology from the University of Lucknow in 1966. His Doctoral dissertation was later brought out as Sadhus of India: The Sociological View in 1978 by Popular Prakashan, Bombay. Earlier, in 1977, Dr. Tripathi's book on Sociological Theory entitled Nature of Sociological Theory The Action Approach came to light.

Dr. Tripathi third book, Society Today and tomorrow was brought out in 1990 by Himalayan Publication, Bombay. This book contains several sociological concepts and theories which are entirely new to the literature of Sociology. Other published book of Dr. Tripathi are; Abhinava Darsham (1989); Muslim Samudaya Tatha Bharatiya Rajniti (1990); Charo Dhama (2000); Meri America Yatra (2001).

Besides these books, Dr. Tripathi has contributed several research papers in English and Hindi Journals. Also, he writes in Hindi and English magazines and Dailies.

 

CONTENTS

 

Preface to the New and Enlarged Edition   ix
Foreword to the Original Edition   xi
Preface to the Original Edition   xiii
Introduction   xvii
CHAPTER I   1
  RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY 1
  HYPOTHESES 9
CHAPTER II   11
  SADHUS AND SADHUISM 11
CHAPTER III   22
  SECTARIAN STRUCTURE OF SADHUS: VAISHNAV SAMPRADAYA 22
  REFORMIST VAISHNAVA SECTS 43
CHAPTER IV   56
  SECTARIAN STRUCTURE OF SADHUS-SHAIVA AND MISCELLANEOUS SAMPRADAYAS 56
  ORTHODOX SHAIVA SAMPRADAYAS 59
  MISCELLANEOUS SAMPRADAYAS 72
CHAPTER V   75
  SOCIO-ECONOMIC BACKGROUND OF SADHUS 75
CHAPTER VI   91
  PRESENT ECONOMIC LIFE OF SADHUS 91
CHAPTER VII   102
  SOCIO-POLTICAL LIFE OF SADHUS 102
CHAPTER VIII   141
  BELIEGS, VIEWS AND ATTITUDES OF SADHUS 141
CHAPTER IX   190
  SADHUS AND SOCIAL SERVICES 190
  NUMERICAL DETAILS OF THE SERVICES BY BHARAT SEWASHRAM SANGH 201
CHAPTER X   204
  SADHUS AT KUMBH 204
  KUMBH AT PRAYAG 206
  ENTRY OF NAGAS INTO KUMBH NAGAR AT PRAYAG 207
  SHAHI SNAN OF NAGAS 208
  NAGAS-THE STAR OF THE KUMBH ASSEMBLAGE 210
  SEA OF HUMANITY AT KUMBH 211
  MAIN BODY OF THE KUMBH MELA 211
  PRE-PERIPHERAL PART OF THE KUMBH MELA 212
  PERIPHERAL PART OF KUMBH MELA 212
  KUMBH MELA AT PRAYAG IN JANUARY,2001 213
  MELA ADMINISTRATION 214
  KUMBH AT HARDWAR 216
  KUMBH AT NASIK 218
  KUMBH AT UJJAIN (MADHYA PRADESH) 218
CHAPTER XI   220
  SADHUS, SHARING SOCIAL CONCERN 220
  1. SWAMI BRAHMANAND SARAWATI 220
  2. SWAMI KARPATRIJI 224
  3. SHREEL A.C. BHAKTI VEDANT SWAMI PRABHUPAD 227
  4. PARAMHANS YOGANAND GIRI 229
  5. SWAMI AKHANDANAND 234
  6. BHAGWAN RAJNEESH – THE SAFFRON SUPERSTAR 237
  HIS CULT AND INITIATION THEREINTO 241
  HIS VIEWS ON SOCIO – THEOLOGICAL ISSUES 243
  7. SWAMI SIVANAND SARASWATI 246
  8. NEEM KARAULI BABA 250
  9. DEWARAHAWA BABA 252
  10. MATA ANAND MAYEE 255
  11. A WADHOOT BHAGWAN RAM 258
  12. SATHYA SAI BABA 261
  13. MAHARSHI MAHESH YOGI – THE T.M. GURU 263
  14. ANAND MURTI – AN ASCETIC PHILOSOPHER 267
  15. JAIGURUDEO – THE BABA OF PROPHESY 273
  16. SWAMI SWARUPANAND SARAWATI 274
CHAPTER XII   277
  LITIGATION AMONGST SADHUS 277
  (A) SUMERU MATH, KASHI 279
  (B) JYOTISH PEETH 282
  (C) GOVARDHAN PEETH 286
CHAPTER XIII   287
  CONTEMPORARY TRENDS IN ASCETICISM 287
CHAPTER XIV   293
  FUTURE OF SADHUS 293
ILLUSTRATIONS   301
APPENDIX   319
BIBLIOGRAPHY   329
INDEX   341

 

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